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M4

Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about extended delays to those travelling westbound on the M4 towards London Heathrow as a result of the coning-off of lanes on the motorway on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : One hon. Member telephoned my right hon. Friend's office and another telephoned the Department. No other representations have been received.

Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the reduction of the westbound carriageway of the M4 at the Heston service station from three lanes to one lane on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May ; how many people were working on the M4 at Heston ; and what repairs were being carried out.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Extended delays occurred on the westbound carriageway of M4 in outer London last weekend following a local failure of the concrete carriageway on Friday 15 May. Traffic was immediately restricted to one lane to protect motorists and a 20 mph speed restriction was imposed. The centre lane was reopened temporarily for the Friday evening peak period, following emergency repairs, but was then closed again for more substantial remedial measures.

Concrete was broken out for 8 metres either side of a damaged lateral joint and was replaced by asphaltic material. The M4 westbound carriageway was fully reopened to traffic by 5.30 am on Monday 18 May. The Department's agent and contractor are to be congratulated on the speed and efficiency with which they tackled this emergency, which could not have been anticipated. The number of people working on site varied throughout the weekend depending on the operations being undertaken. At the peak, 22 engineering, supervisory and operative staff were employed. Most work was complete by midday on Sunday but time was needed for the asphalt to cool and harden before traffic could be allowed to run on it.

Commuter Trains, Kent

Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his decision on British Rail's request for permission to enter into a leasing arrangement in order to fund a new fleet of commuter trains for north Kent.


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Mr. Freeman : An order for the 188 Networkers necessary to complete the replacement of rolling stock for Kent link services was placed by British Rail on 10 April 1992. There is therefore no need for a leasing arrangement to fund new trains for Kent link routes.

British Rail (Policing)

Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for the provision and costing of policing of British Rail stations, lines and services following franchising.

Mr. Freeman : The appropriate future arrangements for policing the railways are under consideration as part of the development of our proposals for privatisation. Our proposals will be set out in more detail in a White Paper which we aim to publish later in the summer and brought forward in legislation to be introduced later this Session.

Earth Summit

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what specific contributions his Department made to Her Majesty's Government's submissions to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June ; and what was the cost to his Department in preparing the submissions.

Mr. MacGregor : The conference will take a wide-ranging view of a variety of complex and interlinked environment and development issues. Transport has an important role to play in issues such as climate change, the protection of the atmosphere and the promotion of sustainable human settlements.

My Department has played a full part in developing the Government's policy on these issues. It is not practicable to separate out the cost of carrying out this work.

NATIONAL FINANCE

Car Service Volunteers

Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated annual revenue to the Exchequer from the taxation of mileage allowance paid to car service volunteers with the national health service.

Mr. Dorrell : Volunteers who drive for the hospital car service are taxed on motor mileage allowances only to the extent that they exceed the actual costs incurred in driving for the national health service. I regret that information is not available about the tax collected as a result of taxing this profit element.

European Community Economic and Finance Council

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what matters in regard to financing environmental protection and restoration were discussed at the ECOFIN Council in Brussels on 19 May.

Sir John Cope : The only environmental issue raised at ECOFIN on 19 May was a brief announcement by the Commission that a draft directive proposing a carbon-energy tax would be published soon. There was no discussion.


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Alcohol Taxation

Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the recommendations of Her Majesty's Government to their European Community counterparts on tax harmonisation for alcohol, with particular reference to the export market for Scotch whisky ; and if he will make a statement on current negotiations and the likely date for the reaching of a final conclusion.

Sir John Cope : In the 1992 Budget Statement my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer indicated that he was not prepared to accept any deal in Brussels that would force other member states to put up duties on spirits. At the 19 May 1992 ECOFIN the United Kingdom objected to the currently proposed 1,000 ecu minimum rate for spirits. No conclusion was reached, and the subject will be discussed again as part of wider discussions on indirect taxation in ECOFIN in June.

Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to implement a capping mechanism whereby current differentials in European Community member states on tax levied on different alcoholic beverages will, as a minimum, be retained, or as a maximum be harmonised ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir John Cope : A capping mechanism would constrain the ability of member states, including the United Kingdom, to determine their own fiscal policies. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer met representatives of the spirits industry on 15 May 1992 to discuss the EC proposals. He advised them that, for this reason, he was not prepared to argue for capping. However, he assured them that he would not agree to any minimum rate which forced other member states to increase their rate of duty on spirits to the detriment of United Kingdom exports.

Earth Summit

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what particular contributions his Department made to Her Majesty's Government's submissions to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June ; and what was the cost to his Department in preparing the contributions.

Sir John Cope : Submissions made to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development reflect the policies of Her Majesty's Government. A number of departments, including the Treasury, are involved in the preparations for the summit in Rio de Janeiro. The cost of the Treasury's contribution has not been separately assessed.

Public Sector Borrowing Requirement

Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the public sector borrowing requirement for each financial year since 1974-75 expressed in actual pounds, constant pounds and as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Mr. Nelson [holding answer 19 May 1992] : The table shows the figures :


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               |PSBR          |PSBR as per   |Real PSBR<1>                 

                              |cent. of GDP  |at 1985 prices               

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

1974-75        |8,001         |9.1           |26,723                       

1975-76        |10,251        |9.4           |27,275                       

1976-77        |8,263         |6.5           |19,365                       

1977-78        |5,381         |3.6           |11,093                       

1978-79        |9,174         |5.4           |17,056                       

1979-80        |9,926         |4.8           |15,816                       

1980-81        |12,519        |5.4           |16,857                       

1981-82        |8,631         |3.4           |10,599                       

1982-83        |8,904         |3,2           |10,207                       

1983-84        |9,678         |3.2           |10,603                       

1984-85        |10,134        |3.1           |10,573                       

1985-86        |5,622         |1.6           |5,559                        

1986-87        |3,559         |0.9           |3,407                        

1987-88        |-3,406        |-0.8          |-3,092                       

1988-89        |-14,657       |-3.1          |-12,411                      

1989-90        |-7,932        |-1.5          |-6,302                       

1990-91        |-468          |-0.1          |-344                         

1991-92        |13,898        |-<2>          |-<2>                         

<1>Real PSBR is current price estimate divided by the GDP deflator.        

<2>GDP and GDP deflator are not yet available for 1991-92.                 

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Nuclear Power Stations

Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with east European leaders regarding potential dangers of aging nuclear power stations in eastern Europe ; and what funds will be available to promote safety at these plants.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Following discussions between the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Czechoslovakian Foreign Minister last December, assistance has been allocated from the know-how fund for nuclear safety projects in Czechoslovakia. Similar assistance has been allocated to Bulgaria. On funding, the EC has to date allocated 18.5 mecu from its PHARE programme to Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia for technical assistance to improve nuclear safety, and further funds will be allocated to eastern European countries from the 1992 PHARE budget.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Visas

Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the entry clearance officer, Islamabad, will issue the entry clearance visa to Zafar Iqbal of Pakistan, fiance of Miss Nasreen Akthar Younis of Blackburn, following the refusal of the immigration appeal tribunal on 5 February to grant leave to the entry clearance officer to appeal against the adjudicator's determination to issue the visa ; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in issuing the visa.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In the absence of any details about this case, I have asked our high commissioner at Islamabad for a full report. I shall send the hon. Member a substantive reply as soon as possible.


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Arms Control

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policies to control the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and conventional weapons will be put forward by the United Kingdom at the Foreign Ministers' meeting on the future co-ordination of policies towards the Commonwealth of Independent States in Lisbon on 22-23 May.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We will continue to press all non-parties in the CIS to accede to the non-proliferation treaty and to pursue responsible policies on the transfer of conventional weapons. We have already made clear the importance we attach to signature of the 1925 Geneva protocol on the use of chemical weapons, and adherence to Australia group guidelines on the export of chemical precursors. We look forward to the conclusion at the Lisbon conference of an agreement to establish an international science and technology centre in Russia to fund and co-ordinate the peaceful employment of former Soviet military scientists.

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on progress made in the multilateral negotiations on curbing arms proliferation in the middle east.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to the written reply that I gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 18 May at column 11.

Yugoslavia

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the freezing of the assets of Serbia and Montenegro ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Garel-Jones : Her Majesty's Government will take a position on individual measures in the light of the situation on the ground and in the context of discussions in the EC and in the United Nations. The EC continues to withhold from Serbia the trade and aid benefits extended to the other five republics of the former Yugoslavia. The Council has asked the Commission to report on the other possible economic sanctions.

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's current policy towards (a) Croatia, (b) Serbia and (c) Montenegro in respect of the imposition of economic sanctions.

Mr. Garel-Jones : Her Majesty's Government will take a position on individual measures in the light of the situation on the ground and in the context of discussions in the EC and in the United Nations. The EC continues to withhold from Serbia the trade and aid benefits extended to the other five republics of the former Yugoslavia. The Council has asked the Commission to report on other possible economic sanctions.

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the Government of Bosnia-Herzgeovina ; what subjects were discussed ; and if he will make a statement.


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Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the Bosnian Foreign Minister on 7 May to discuss recent events in Bosnia.

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the ambassador of Yugoslavia ; and what subjects were discussed on that occasion.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : I met the Yugoslav ambassador on 30 April to discuss recent developments in Yugoslavia.

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the representatives of the Croatian Government in London ; and what subjects were discussed on that occasion.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Government of Croatia have no diplomatic or consular representative in London. However, the head of the Croatian information office is in regular touch with officials.

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in respect of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : We remain in close touch with the United Nations Secretary-General through our mission to New York. We welcome the unanimous adoption of Security Council resolution 752 on 15 May and call upon all parties and others concerned in the fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina to comply with it.

Maastricht

Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates the treaty on European union signed at Maastricht on 7 February and laid before Parliament on 6 May, (a) comes into effect or (b) is ratified as respects (a) the Preamble, (b) Title I (Common Provisions), (c) Title V (Provisions on a Common Foreign and Security Policy), (d) Title VI (Provisions on Co-operation in the field of Justice and Foreign Affairs), and (e) Title VII (Final Provisions) ; whether the Ponsonby rule applies to (i) the whole of that treaty, (ii) certain provisions of that treaty and in the case of (ii) if he will specify which provisions.

Mr. Garel-Jones : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave on 14 May to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing). The treaty on European union can be ratified only in its entirety ; there is no procedure for ratifying different parts. Provided that Parliament has passed the necessary legislation in respect of the titles amending the Community treaties, an instrument of ratification will be deposited with the Italian Government in accordance with article R of the treaty.

Since it is a treaty signed subject to ratification, the Ponsonby rule will apply to the union treaty as a whole. The rule requires that such a treaty should not be ratified until 21 days after it has been laid before the House following signature. This requirement will have been more than fulfilled.


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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Legal Aid and Advice

Mr. Byers : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department if he will state for each year between 1979-80 and 1990-91 the contributions in (a) cash


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terms and (b) at 1990-91 prices of those receiving (i) civil legal aid, (ii) criminal legal aid and (iii) legal advice and assistance.

Mr. John M. Taylor : The figures requested are in the table. They show contributions retained in each financial year. The cash prices have been uprated to 1991 prices using the GDP deflator.


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Contributions for civil and criminal legal aid and legal advice 

and assistance in cash and 1990-91 figures for the years 1979   

to 1991                                                         

£ million                                                       

         Civil           Criminal        Advice and assistance  

Year    |Cash   |1990-91|Cash   |1990-91|Cash   |1990-91        

----------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |4.6    |9.9    |1.5    |3.3    |0.5    |1.0            

1980-81 |5.4    |9.9    |1.9    |3.5    |0.6    |1.1            

1981-82 |5.7    |9.6    |2.0    |3.3    |0.9    |1.5            

1982-83 |6.4    |10.0   |1.8    |2.9    |1.1    |1.7            

1983-84 |7.1    |10.6   |1.9    |2.9    |1.3    |2.0            

1984-85 |7.5    |10.7   |1.8    |2.5    |1.7    |2.4            

1985-86 |8.2    |11.1   |1.7    |2.3    |2.0    |2.7            

1986-87 |8.8    |11.5   |2.0    |2.6    |2.1    |2.7            

1987-88 |11.2   |13.8   |2.7    |3.4    |2.5    |3.0            

1988-89 |12.0   |13.8   |3.3    |3.8    |2.5    |2.9            

1989-90 |13.3   |14.4   |4.4    |4.8    |2.8    |3.1            

1990-91 |13.8   |-      |4.9    |-      |3.1    |-              

Community Charge

Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department if he will state the number of summonses issued and number of liability orders obtained for non-payment, or arrears, of community charge for the year 1991-92 for each local authority in England and Wales.

Mr. John M. Taylor : I have arranged for this information to be made available in the Library of the House.

Legal Aid

Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department what is the current expenditure on legal aid ; and what it was 10 years ago.

Mr. John M. Taylor : After the recovery of contributions, the estimated outturn of expenditure on legal aid in 1991-92 is £969 million, inclusive of administration costs. Expenditure in 1981-82 was £170 million net.

Social Security Commissioners

Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department what steps the Lord Chancellor takes to ensure geographical representation for the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom in the appointment of social security commissioners.

Mr. John M. Taylor : Most cases are determined on paper but commissioners sit regularly in all four regions of the United Kingdom when a particular case requires them to do so.

To ensure that only the best candidates are appointed, ability and experience, rather than regional origin, are the criteria for appointment as a social security commissioner.


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HOME DEPARTMENT

Kwazulu Police Commissioner

Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the visit to Britain of the Kwazulu police commissioner, General Jack Buchner.

Mr. Charles Wardle : I understand that General Jack Buchner came to Great Britain in a private capacity in May and arranged a visit to Humberside police, which was subsequently cancelled. Her Majesty's Government were not aware of these arrangements.

South African Police

Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue advice to police forces that they should not receive delegations from the South African police without consulting his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The majority of visits to United Kingdom police forces by overseas police personnel are arranged on a Government-to- Government basis. Where this is not the case, chief officers of police are regularly reminded of the need to consult my Department and/or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if there are likely to be political or other sensitivities.

Immigration Rules

Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will propose changes to the immigration rules to accommodate the free movement provisions of the European Economic

Community/European Free Trade Association treaty.

Mr. Charles Wardle : I envisage doing so during the second half of this year. Subject to satisfactory progress towards ratification by the parties concerned, the target date for the European economic area agreement to come into force is 1 January 1993.


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Wolds Private Remand Prison

Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of payment per annum the Government are giving to Group 4 for the running of the Wolds private remand prison.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : Details of the payments to Group 4 are subject to commercial confidentiality and cannot therefore be made public.

Miscarriage of Justice Tribunal

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking in the creation of a miscarriage of justice tribunal ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jack : Present arrangements for the consideration and investigation of alleged miscarriages of justice are being reviewed as part of the work being carried out by the Royal Commission on criminal justice. The Government will give careful consideration to the findings of the Royal Commission on all matters arising from its examination of the criminal justice system.

Firearms

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of firearms and shotguns reported stolen in the years 1986 to 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The available information relates to the number of notifiable offences of burglary and theft recorded by the police in which firearms, including shotguns, were reported to have been stolen. More than one weapon may have been stolen during each offence. The figures for 1986 to 1989 are contained in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1989" which is in the Library. The total figure for 1990 is 2,024. Figures for 1991 are not yet available.


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Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of the number of illegally held firearms and shotguns ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The number of persons found guilty of possessing firearms or shotguns without the necessary certificate are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are in the Library. In 1990, the latest year for which figures are available, 441 persons were convicted of possessing shotguns without a certificate and 383 of possessing other firearms or ammunition without a certificate.

These figures do not show the whole picture. Although only 0.2 per cent. of notifiable offences recorded in 1990 involved a firearm combating armed crime remains a top priority. My Department has commissioned a research project by Oxford university into the source of firearms used in crime. I shall consider the results carefully to see whether further measures could be taken to reduce armed crime.

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms and shotgun certificates were issued in each year between 1986 and 1991.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The number of applications for new firearm and shotgun certificates granted and the number of certificates renewed are shown for each year between 1986 and 1990 in tables 1 and 3 of Home Office statistical bulletin number 23/91. A copy of this bulletin is in the Library. Figures for 1991 are not yet available.

Asylum

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of applications for asylum in the United Kingdom in each month in 1991 and 1992 to the nearest available date.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The information is given in the table :


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Applications<1> received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants,

                                                                                

by nationality, January to December 1991 and January to April 1992              

Number of principal applicants                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

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Applications<1> received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants,

                                                                                

by nationality, January to December 1991 and January to April 1992              

Number of principal applicants                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

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Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of


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applications for asylum in the United Kingdom in the years 1989 to 1991, showing applications by country of origin.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The information is given in the table :


Applications<1> received in the United Kingdom for asylum, excluding                             

dependants, by nationality, 1989 to 1991                                                         

Number of principal applicants                                                                   

Nationality                                      |1989<1><2> |1990<1><2> |1991                   

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Europe                                                                                           

Bulgaria                                         |30         |135        |375                    

Romania                                          |20         |300        |555                    

Turkey                                           |2,415      |1,185      |2,110                  

USSR                                             |30         |100        |245                    

Other Europe                                     |135        |65         |360                    

                                                 |---        |---        |---                    

Total                                            |2,630      |1,780      |3,645                  

                                                                                                 

Americas                                                                                         

Colombia                                         |90         |170        |140                    

Other                                            |45         |75         |90                     

                                                 |---        |---        |---                    

Total                                            |135        |245        |230                    

                                                                                                 

Africa                                                                                           

Angola                                           |235        |1,160      |5,780                  

Congo                                            |20         |70         |370                    

Ethiopia                                         |560        |1,975      |1,685                  

Ghana                                            |330        |1,020      |2,405                  

Nigeria                                          |20         |115        |335                    

Somalia                                          |1,850      |1,920      |1,995                  

Sudan                                            |110        |255        |1,150                  

Togo/Ivory Coast                                 |20         |110        |1,910                  

Uganda                                           |1,235      |1,905      |1,450                  

Zaire                                            |525        |1,730      |7,010                  

Others                                           |205        |560        |3,405                  

                                                 |---        |---        |---                    

Total                                            |5,095      |10,820     |27,500                 

                                                                                                 

Middle East                                                                                      

Iran                                             |350        |365        |530                    

Iraq                                             |215        |890        |915                    

Lebanon                                          |180        |1,020      |755                    

Others                                           |35         |80         |340                    

                                                 |---        |---        |---                    

Total                                            |780        |2,355      |2,540                  

                                                                                                 

Asia                                                                                             

China                                            |85         |240        |525                    

India                                            |630        |1,430      |2,075                  

Pakistan                                         |250        |1,315      |3,245                  

Sri Lanka                                        |1,790      |3,215      |3,765                  

Others                                           |130        |285        |890                    

                                                 |---        |---        |---                    

Total                                            |2,885      |6,490      |10,495                 

                                                                                                 

Other nationalities and nationality not recorded |110        |315        |435                    

                                                 |---        |---        |---                    

Grand Total                                      |11,640     |22,000     |44,840                 

<1>Figures rounded to the nearest 5.                                                             

<2>Figures are provisional. 1990 figures may understate because of delays in recording.          

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted (a) asylum and (b) indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom in each year from 1981 to 1991.

Mr. Charles Wardle : Information is given in the table for those granted asylum. Information on the number of persons granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kindom, that is, the total accepted for settlement under


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the Immigration Act 1971, is published in table 10 of "Control of Immigration : Statistics United Kingdom 1990" (Cm 1571), a copy of which is in the Library.


Persons granted <1> asylum in 

the United Kingdom            

          |Granted            

          |asylum<1>          

------------------------------

1981      |1,473              

1982      |1,727              

1983      |1,185              

1984      |689                

1985      |915                

1986      |543                

1987      |464                

1988      |975                

1989      |3,335              

1990      |1,510              

1991      |670                

<1> Including dependants who  

applied with the principal    

applicant and those who       

arrived subsequently but      

before the principal          

application was decided.      

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken to determine asylum applications in the United Kingdom ; and how many claims currently await determination.

Mr. Charles Wardle : For cases decided in the first quarter of 1992, excluding those under paragraph 101 of the immigration rules for failure to provide evidence in support of the asylum claim, the estimated average length of time between the receipt of the asylum application and the decision was 17 months.

At 30 March 1992 around 61,000 cases awaited action in the asylum and special cases division.

Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees from the conflict in Yugoslavia have been given permission to stay in the United Kingdom ; what assistance they are being given ; and what plans he has to assist possible arrivals of further refugees from that country.

Mr. Charles Wardle : It is estimated that about 750 citizens of the former state of Yugoslavia have sought asylum in the United Kingdom up to the end of April this year on the basis of claims associated with the various conflicts in that area. All these applicants will be allowed to stay while their claims are considered. They, and any future applicants, are eligible to claim income support and housing benefits.

Hertfordshire (Boundaries)

Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commission's initial proposals for Hertfordshire to be published.


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